Walking the Fine Line Between Us
by storyteller73
Summary: Making amends can be scary.


**Title: Walking the Fine Line Between Us**

Pairing: Don Flack/Sheldon Hawkes, Stella Bonasera, Danny Messer, Mac Taylor, Aiden Burns

Ratings: NC-17

Warning/Spoiler: Slash don't like don't read, Sleight out of Hand

Summary: Making amends can be scary

Disclaimer: I know they're not mine, and I promise to return them, but could you imagine if they we mine.

Flack and Hawkes walked into the magic shop hoping that it would yield some clues as to where they could find items like the one found at the crime scene. After looking around for sometime the owner asked whether he could assist them.

"Yea, I'm looking for a way to make my case load disappear; you got anything in your bag of tricks?" Flack asked sarcastically.

"There not tricks, there illusions." clarified the owner.

"Whatever." Flack said.

Hawkes stepped up to the owner asking whether he had any of the items in the picture and whether they were sold individually or in a kit. The owner informed him that he might have a kit with it and when to the back to collect it.

As soon as he was out of the room Flack turned to Hawkes and asked "think Houdini knew the impact he'd have on mafia lingo?"

"Sorry," said Hawkes

"When they whack someone they say they made him do a Houdini. You think that'd make him proud?"  
"Are we actually having this conversation?" Hawkes asked seemingly annoyed at the tall detective.  
"Oh, I'm sorry; can you explain the difference between DNA and RNA, is that better? Cause that's a scintillating conversation right there;" Flack rattled out not worrying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.  
"It would be if you knew the..." the former ME trailed of as the owner returned with the kit. Having received the item they came for the detectives left the shop and headed back to the lab.

Pleased with the job he had done Hawkes was ready to head home, rejuvenate and come back ready to catch the next set of would be criminals. On his way out he was stopped by Detective Flack. "Hey Doc, back at the shop, hope I didn't offend you by what I said." Flack said seemingly searching for confirmation from the doc that he had not taken offence to their little wordplay.

"Oh, you didn't, and here I was thinking that you were annoyed by me or something. Hawkes said clearly not in the mood to be having this conversation at the present time.

I was just trying to figure things out that's all. What's the big deal anyway?" Flack asked showing his frustration that his effort to sooth things with Hawkes was being foiled by the man himself.

"Look Flack I appreciate what your trying to do, but I'm not in the mood for this conversation, I'm tired and I'm hungry I just want to go home." With that said Hawkes walked off leaving Flack staring after him.

"Great! Just great!" Flack muttered to himself. "I try to make nice and what do I get."

"Hey Flack; Stella called to him, you talking to yourself now."

Seeing the look on his face she became concerning. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I think I just made Sheldon mad at me and I don't know how to fix it" He said a little downhearted.

"Well if you tell me what happened maybe I can help you fix it," she said with a smirk. Stella also thought there was an especially fine line between Sheldon and Don ever since they met; it was like they wanted to kiss each other but was afraid the other wouldn't appreciate it.

Turning her full attention to Don, Stella listened to him recapped what had happened at the magic shop between him and Hawkes and she had to smile as she thought to herself, do I got to do everything around here. Once he was finished Stella gave him that look that's said I know just what you need.

"Alright, she said, I don't think flowers and chocolate will work on Hawkes so the best thing might be for you to..."

Before she could finish Flack cut her off, "Stella" he said with disbelieve at what she was implying.

"Yeah, what" she responded

"Hawkes and I aren't seeing each other or anything like that, were just, well I'm not even sure were friends , well I'm not sure what we are to begin with."

And therein lies the problem isn't it, thought Stella as she tried not to roll her eyes at Don. She thought of all the times the two had been in the same room and how thick the tension between them would get. There was no doubt in her mind that the fine line between love and hate applied to Flack and Hawkes and that it was leaning more to the love side as opposed to the hate, but for the life of her, Stella just couldn't figure out why they seemed to irritate one another so much. She was however; sure they weren't homophobic, because both had admitted to her they were bisexual and tended to lean more to men at times.

Thinking back, Stella could almost remember the few times she had actually observed both men while they interacted with one another. It almost seemed as if they weren't sure of how they other felt about them or perhaps both were caught between wanting to kiss the other or just hit him. They seem to be walking a fine and something has got to give, and Stella was just the person to help it along.

"You know Don, the only way to find out how Sheldon feels about you is to go and talk to him in private. What's the most that can happen; he listens to what you have to say or shuts the door in your face, either way you've made the effort to resolve whatever issues are between the both of you." Stella stated as if it was that simple, plain as day.

"I don't know Stella, he was really agitated when he left, said he was tired and wanted to sleep. I go over there while he's in that mood and boom things go from bad to worse, no way, I'm trying to fix things not start a war."

"This is Hawkes we're talking about he's a kind-hearted guy that always has an ear for anyone who wants it. He'll listen Don, just be honest and straight forward." She said hoping to convince the stubborn detective. "Okay, I need to get going we'll talk later." Stella gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek then waved as she left the office. Don stood there for a little while contemplating whether or not to take Stella's advice and get this thing over with.

One would think that being intelligent and observant is common place when it comes to geniuses, but it seems that they can be quite dense and oblivious to things right in front of them, either that or the Doc was convincingly feign ignorance where a certain detective was concerned.

It was bordering on midnight or more like stalking as Don stood outside Sheldon's door looking for all the world like a lost puppy that hopes to be given a bone.

"This is just ridiculous, plain and simple," Don muttered to himself.

"What would that be?" a voice came up behind him asking. Don froze as he realized it was the sound of Sheldon Hawkes voice. "Give a guy some warning next time you decide to sneak up on him will you," Don says placing his hand over his heart, "you about gave me a freaking heart attack there Doc."

"The last time I checked this was my apartment building and my apartment door you're standing in front of and I wasn't aware I had to give notice to get into my apartment." Hawkes responded.

Flack shifted a bit uneasy when he heard the sarcasm dripping from the Doc's voice. '_This isn't going to end well at all..' _he thoughtto himself, wondering again for the hundredth time if it wasn't just one big mistake and whether he shouldn't just turn around and leave.

Hawkes moved around him and opened the door to his apartment and stepped inside leaving the door ajar and Flack took it as an open invitation to entre as his own risk. As he entered he felt his pulse quicken and the heat rise in his face as he looked around the apartment and thought to himself that the décor was so Hawkes.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Hawkes asked as he watches Flack look around his apartment. Flack pays him no mind at first, seemingly too caught up with the photos and other stuff on display, Hawkes was about to repeat his question when flack turned around and said "I wanted to talk and I didn't want to wait till tomorrow in case I didn't get the change to."

"We don't have all night so start talking, I have things to do and I also need to sleep and in case you haven't noticed it's almost midnight." Don moved from his position and sat in the arm chair and sighed loudly, then looked up at Hawkes. "I didn't come here to pick a fight with you," Don said softly "I was hoping we could talk about today, it's been playing on my mind all evening what happening in the magic shop but its more than that." Don said wondering if he was really doing the right thing. "I've come to the realization that every time we're in the same room there's this tension between us that I can't seem to explain away no matter how hard I try. Started me wondering if it's me you just don't like or what."

Before he could continue Hawkes spoke. "Look I appreciate that you came here to straighten things out, but like I said earlier I am really tired and I would like to get to sleep while it's still night so that I can be awake to do my job in the morning. So do you think we could have this conversation when my brain is more awake?"

Flack looked at him for a long time before responding, still trying to figure out whether the doc hated him or if it was something he just wasn't getting. Realising that Hawkes was waiting on him to response so he could see him out, Don held up his hands as if to surrender before he finally responded.

"Sure Doc, we can have this conversation another time." He said while opening the door and stepping into the hallway.

"Good night Don and see you tomorrow." He was about to close the door when Don's hand stopped him.

"Hey Doc, how would you like to have dinner with me after your shift tomorrow?"

"Ah, why would you want to have dinner with me?

"You do know it's not polite to answer a question with another question, right."

"Yes Don, I know that but even you have to admit that your question came out of nowhere."

"So is that a yes or a no?"

"How about I think about it and give you my answer in the morning."

"Fair enough Doc."

"Good night Don"

Flack nods before finally closing door and leaving.


End file.
